Family carer is 'frightened for the future' over plans to close dementia ward

A FAMILY carer has said he is “frightened about the future” if plans to close a dementia ward at Chepstow Community Hospital go ahead.

Armand Watts, 49, of Chepstow, cares for his mother, Pauline, who was diagnosed with dementia last October.

His mother, 77, is an outpatient at the community hospital and is visited by doctors once a week.

Mr Watts, who is also a town and county councillor, fears his family and hundreds of others would be hit under plans set out by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to close the St Pierre Ward.

Patients such as Ms Watts would be treated at St Woolos Hospital in Newport, or Ysbyty Tri Chwm in Ebbw Vale, depending on where in Monmouthshire they live.

Mr Watts said his mother is currently at the “beginning stages” of dementia, but that she may need to be treated at the ward in the future.

“What it means for our family is that we would potentially have to go to St Woolos and that will affect hundreds of families across the county,” said Mr Watts, whose dad was also treated for dementia at the ward. “Sadly we have experienced this before with my father a couple of years ago so we know what’s coming, therefore I can tell you how important it is to retain that local service.”

Mr Watts fears closing the ward would lead to a “demise” in dementia care in Monmouthshire, with families being forced to travel elsewhere. The town councillor for Thornwell believes the move will particularly hit patients who do not have family to support them.

He added: “My view is the Trust should be ashamed of themselves for even contemplating it and I think Aneurin Bevan would turn in his grave if he knew what they were attempting to do.”

Ms Watts, a former councillor, also said she disagreed with the plans.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s proposals would leave three dementia units - at Ysbyty Tri Chwm in Ebbw Vale, St Woolos Hospital in Newport, and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach - and a single functional mental illness unit at County Hospital, Griffithstown.

This would leave 67 beds, five fewer than at present, but requiring11 fewer nurses. Difficulties in recruiting nurses for older adult mental health inpatient units are a factor, but reorganisation of services is also a means of creating more community-based services, the board says.

A spokesman for the health board said: “In order to deliver the highest standard of services to older adults with mental health needs we have worked with our staff, patients and their families, and our partner organisations to develop a preferred option for the future of these services.

“We believe that this preferred option will enable our us to strengthen our local community-based services for older people with mental health needs in all areas of the health board. For those who need inpatient care, we would develop three centres of excellence which would offer the very best care for people with dementia. We now want to share our ideas with the public and will listen to their feedback before any decision is made.”

SOURCE: South Wales Argus, Saul Cooke Black